Coos Bay Rail Link reports significant growth in 2013

Oregon’s Coos Bay Rail Link (CBRL) moved 4,845 revenue carloads in 2013, a 95% increase over 2012’s 2,480 carloads, in its second full year of operations in western Lane, western Douglas, and Coos Counties. CBRL runs from a connection with the Union Pacific in Eugene to Coquille. Ore.

CBRL operates the Coos Bay line through a management agreement between the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay and ARG Transportation Services Inc. of Eugene. The port is responsible for infrastructure investments in the rail corridor, while CBRL is responsible for train operations and day-to-day maintenance activities.

Former CBR General Manager Tom Foster, who now serves as Vice President Marketing for ARG Transportation Services, said he was pleased with the upturn in rail traffic and the work of the CBRL employees. “We’ve got hardworking and enthusiastic employees who work safely and make every effort to meet the rail transportation needs of Coos Bay rail line shippers,” he said.

Foster expects another significant increase in revenue carloads in 2014, and points to new infrastructure that will help generate additional commodity movements. One project currently under construction is the Greenhill Siding in west Eugene, where a new multimodal facility is under development. “We expect to see commodities move inbound and outbound from that operation,” he said.

CBRL now serves more than a dozen shippers. While forest products and wood fiber are the dominant commodities, other goods such as fertilizers and organic dairy feed are increasing in volume.